James and Hannah (WILLIAMS) NICKLES were Pennsylvania settlers and the parents of at least two sons: William and Oliver Perry. These two young men, born in 1813 and 1824 respectively, came to Ringgold County in 1855 and 1860.

William had first married Lucinda Jane WILDER in Indiana in 1836. Five children, James, Elizabeth, William, George and Thomas Jefferson, were born to them. The sons served from Iowa in the Civil War with William dying in Memphis, Tennessee in 1863.

After Lucinda's death, William married Jane WADE in Illinois. Their children were David, Mary, Harvey, Jane, Moriah, Martha, John and Charles. Harvey was their first child born in Iowa and he is the grandfather of Joanna ROSE, who supplied the committe with much of this family information.

The William and Mary Jane "Lucy" NICKLES family settled in Benton and Maloy areas and he farmed. William died in 1893 and services were held from the Baptist Church in Maloy. His wife Jane was buried beside him in the Platte River Cemetery in 1898.Their son Charles remained in Iowa, but the rest scattered to other states. Charles is the father of the late Howard NICKLES of Benton.

Several of their descendants were listed in Who's Who in America. Their grandson and the son of John Dale NICHOLS, Dale William NICHOLS, is an artist of international fame. His most famous painting, "End of the Hunt," (1934) owned by the Metropolitan Musuem of Art, was used by the museum on Christmas cards last year [1986]. Their great, great grandson and the great grandson of Thomas Jefferson NICKLES, Don NICKLES, has just [1987] completed his first term as a U.S. senator from Oklahoma and is running for a second term.

Dale William NICHOLS was born in 1904, David City, Nebraska, on his father's grain farm. Dale William NICHOLS (American, 1904-1995) studied at the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, the Art Institute of Chicago with Carl WERNTZ and with Joseph BINDER in Vienna. It was said that Dale NICHOLS was to Nebraska as what Grant WOOD was to Iowa, or Thomas Hart BENTON was to Missouri.

When the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York bought his painting End of the Hunt in 1941, it confirmed to NICHOLS that he was indeed successful.

He became the art editor of the Encyclopedia Britannica in 1943, following Grant WOOD. He held this position until 1948. He was also a member of the Chicago Tribune art staff at one time.

In 1948 he traveled to Tubac, Arizona where he established the Artist's School and restored some of the older buildings in that community. The town is known as an artist's colony and NICHOLS is credited with its founding.

NICHOLS died at the age of 91 years in Sedona, Arizona on October 19, 1995.

Donald Lee NICHOLS was born and raised in Ponca City, Oklahoma. He served in the U.S. National Guard from 1970 until 1976. NICHOLS won his bid for a seat in the Oklahoma State Senate in 1978. He ran for a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1980 and won that race. On October 7, 2003, NICHOLS announced he would not run for office in the 2004 election.

He founded the Nickles Group, a governmental consulting agency in Washington, D.C. NICHOLS and his wife Linda have four children and several grandchildren.

Oliver Perry NICKLE, another son of James and Hannah NICKELS, also came to Ringgold County. He married Catherine WYATT and they came to our area in about 1860. They finally settled in the Clearfield vicinity and are buried there, but intially they lived near Maloy. They lived in a red brick house located first corner west of town and a quarter mile north on the east side. Their youngest child, Elmer, was born there.

He served in the Civil War, Company E, 9th Iowa Cavalry, and also with Company C Third Battalion, Southern Border Brigade.

Oliver and Catherine had seven children: Mary, James, David, Charity, John O.P., Margaret and Elmer. The last five were born in Iowa and John, Margaret and Elmer in Ringgold County.

This NICKLES couple are the great grandparents of Rue NICKELS and Mrs. Vernon STAIGHT of Clearfield.

The Oliver Perry NICKLE information was furnished by Edna NORD.

Spelling of the NICKLE surname apparently varied with the progressive generations.

NOTES: Catherine A. (WYATT) NICKLE was born September 22, 1823, and died December 14, 1911. Oliver Perry NICKLE was born August 7, 1824, and died November 3, 1913.

SOURCE: Maloy, Iowa Centennial History: 1887 - 1987 Pp. 156-57.

Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library

Transcription and Notes by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2011